Laborers of the Harvest

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." ~Luke 10:2

This is one of those verses that I have read many, many times, but only recently understood more. Within the last week, God opened my eyes more to the truths in this passage, and they had such an impact on me that I want to share them with you all. Here are some things God has been speaking to my heart about His sending laborers into His harvest. 

1. We are all told to pray for God to send laborers.

Even if we ourselves don't feel the call to missions, it is still something so near to God's heart and is something He wants us involved in. He tells us to pray, and not just that but to pray earnestly; this implies that we should genuinely care, that we ache for people to go out into the world to share His love with others, that we have a big enough worldview to realize that our "here and now" is not all there is to life and that there are so many other people, places, and lives that desperately need Jesus. 

Before I went on my first mission trip, I didn't really "get" this. Yes, I supported missionaries. Yes, I prayed and gave money and listened to their messages. Yet it wasn't until I got to be a short-term missionary myself, and my eyes were opened to the world in an all-new way, that I understood this at a heart-level. Ever since I got home from Ecuador, I have felt a tugging on my heart from God. Being in a different country, meeting new people, and hearing God's truth shared in another language completely altered my whole worldview. I have a new heart for the world, and for missions, and for those sent out by God. I have a new understanding of God loving every tribe, tongue, and nation, and a deeper longing to see the Great Commission fulfilled. In the weeks since I've gotten back, God has done a lot to speak to my heart, specifically about missions and sharing His love with the nations, and I understand now more than ever how much it really matters and how much He cares.

2. There is often personal cost to this prayer.

I never really fully understood the real "cost" to this prayer until this last year as I began to be called to let go of people I love who are being sent into the harvest. As of this writing I have one friend and her family that are actively working towards being overseas missionaries; a wonderful church leader and his sweet family who have stated their intention to begin this process in the next few months; and a very dear friend who hasn't yet received the details of God's plans, but has a very deep, strong calling to be a missionary that her husband and children are on board with, and I know they will be on that path soon. On top of that, I have other sweet friends that have been missionaries to other countries for a while now, and that we get to support. All of this is a good thing, something I am so honored and blessed to be a part of.

And...it hurts. As a fallen human who loves others and aches at separation, it hurts. 

Sometimes I am taken aback by the level of grief I feel when I consider the truth of what sending laborers means. It means that we are often separated from those we dearly love while on this earth. It means being willing to let go of even our most cherished family and friends if they receive the call to go. It means we don't get to enjoy some of our favorite people on a regular basis in this lifetime. Guys, that is such an ache, both for those precious laborers who leave behind everyone they love, and for those same loved ones who willingly release them. 

And yet...

3. When He answers this prayer, it is cause to rejoice!

The separation that brings that agonizing ache is literally an answer to prayer. "Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers." That's what He is doing; He is sending out laborers, and those laborers happen to be those we love. Oh, what a quandary! Did we mean those prayers? Did we really want Him to send out laborers? Or did we add stipulations to it?

"Send laborers, Lord...as long as it isn't someone I personally know."

 "Send people out, Lord...just don't let it mean pain for me."

Isn't that kind of what it boils down to? Oh, guys. I am wrestling with this so much. I love my people. Nothing makes me happier than spending time with my friends and family and enjoying sweet fellowship with the amazing people God has given me. To be separated from them is agony; I'm crying even as I write this! So please don't think that I say any of these things flippantly or from some kind of emotional distance. This is not an easy task.

It comes down to this, though: God is answering our prayers when He sends "our" people out (for really, they are His, and not ours, right?) I don't think there's any way we can flip a switch and move totally into praise for this; I think that instead, this is one of those "sacrifice of praise" opportunities. It hurts horribly to face separation, but we choose to still praise God in the midst of that missing and ache because we know that ultimately, this is an answer to prayer. This is something that brings Him glory. This is something that leads to eternal good for so, so many. And bearing that in mind helps us to see that His answer to this prayer is cause to rejoice, even as we also walk through the grief of loss.

4. We are all called to a harvest.

I will confess that getting back from that mission trip and then being faced with the "sending" of so many people I love has thrown my heart into some turmoil. At one of our church services a few weeks ago, I found myself kneeling at the altar, absolutely weeping with the combined ache of releasing loved ones into ministry, and confusion/grief over what God's call was for me myself. Part of me felt almost angry at being consistently called to be a "sender" and to watch others become laborers sent out into the harvest when I also longed to do something for Him; I was tired of being on the sidelines, so to speak. 

"Well do you want to be sent?" God seemed to ask.

 "I don't know! I don't know what I want. I don't know what you want!"

He didn't have much of an answer for me. All I sensed Him say was, "Wait, and pray." 

I don't know what God has in store for me yet. I don't know what He wants me to do about this ache I carry for the nations now. Does He want me to become one of those laborers sent  into foreign land? Does He want me to stay here but make short-term trips an ongoing part of my life? Does He want me to simply continue sending beautiful laborers out and support them with prayer and finances while I continue ministry here at home? I don't have those answers yet. All I know is that God wants me to be open, willing, and ready.

I have been reading the devotional book "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, and this week I was struck by one of the readings. It was based on Isaiah 6:8, "'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then said I, 'Here am I; send me." Chambers goes on to explain:

"The call of God is not for the special few, it is for everyone. Whether or not I hear God's call depends upon the state of my ears; and what I hear depends upon my disposition. 'Many are called but few are chosen,' that is, few prove themselves the chosen ones. The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ whereby their disposition has been altered and their ears unstopped, and they hear the still small voice questioning all the time, 'Who will go for us?' It is not a question of God singling out a man and saying, 'Now, you go.'....If we let the Spirit of God bring us face to face with God, we too shall hear something akin to what Isaiah heard, the still small voice of God; and in perfect freedom will say, 'Here am I; send me.'"

God has called all of us to a harvest of some kind, and we don't always have to go overseas to find it. I think it's so important to keep something of a "missionary mindset" about us wherever we are called--even here in "normal" life. Not everyone will be called to leave everything behind and move to another country, but that doesn't mean we can't have the willingness and courage to tell God, "Here I am, send me: to whoever, wherever, and whatever you want."

"Here I Am; Send Me"

I am called by God, I know not where

Nor what His plans may be

Yet this response my heart still bears:

"Here I am, send me."

The special work He's called me to

I have yet to fully see

Yet my response, forever true:

"Here I am, send me."

Whether His call is close to home,

Or 'cross the raging sea

My resolution, this alone:

"Here I am, send me."

Perhaps He'll say, "Go share with all,"

or "Just these two or three."

My heart longs to obey His call.

"Here I am, send me."

His call may be to far away

To people not set free

Or perhaps His will may be to stay;

Still, "Here I am, send me."

If He says, "Your ministry is here

To friends and family."My response will be to serve those dear.

"Here I am, send me."

In work and serving where I am

Or in a new country

I'm open to His loving plan

"Here I am, send me."

I know the plans He has are best

And He has great love for me

That's how I say, with trust and rest

"Here I am, send me."

So through my life, in all my days

'Til my Savior's face I seeI'll serve my King in all my ways.

"Here I am, send me."

~Mary Rabe~